The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-08-24
THE ECONOMISTS.
A Queer Community on the,
Borders of Ohio.
THE COMMUNAL COLONY
German Ascetics Formed by George
Rapp-Its Curious.Ways. Industrial
Habits and Great Wealth.

ECOkO4f, Edsg july 80. lOPCOAoA
Correspondence lin this quaint village
which yet exists as surviving type OF
the community system Of living and as
an attempted realization of the life OF
the apostles, was buried few days ago
another of the original band who came
from Wurtemburg under the leader
ship of George Rapp in 1904. Squire
Hennig was not, strictly speaking, an
original Rappist, for his, age was only
81, but he was among the last to join
the thrifty community and from in
fancy had been enrolled among the
founders. The interment was made
IN the orchard bur- ing ground, small
square of meadow land inclosed by a
plain white. p2ling fence. Within no
tombstonesor other marks serve to
identify those who Sc mortal remains
crumble beneath the sod. There is
scarcely the little heap:ng of the earth
seen in all other cemeteries. lt is a
tenet of the faith that there shall be
neither outlay nor ostentation sur
rounding the demise of members.
Squire Henhig was justice of the
peace without docket. Litigation as
it occupies the courts is stranger
among the Economists. The real
functions of the Squire were those OF
arbitrator. His death leaves about
thirty survivors who are Rappists, Of
of whom only twelve are men. The
population of the village is about 400,
but it consists of the German employees
of the community with their families.
They subscribe perforce to all the strict
regulations of the trustees, though
the marriage features of their life are
retained.
Economy is always town affording
interest for few hours to the tourist,
and in it he may obtain substantial
German meal to refresh him after view
ing the peculiar institutions. Its
career has been remarkably successful.
George Rapp, a Wurtemberg preacher,
in 1904 induced about 100 people to &C.
company him to the United States and
to found village where. everything
was to be held in common and all
affairs to be conducted by q trustee,
with the right of nominating his sue
cessor. There was to be no marriage
and abolute chastity was to be observed.
There were separations OF man and
wife among the original corners. First
the colony settled in Harmony, Pa,
then in New Harmony, Ind.,, which
was sold to the famous Owen COM
munity, and then the Rappists bought
of the father Of James G. Blaine the
broad acres whereon they located, in
1925, their curious village of Economy.
Along the base of its mountainous
elevation runs the beautiful Ohio. The
Fort Wayne road enters it from Pitts
burg. Across the river runs the Pitts
burg & Lake Erie, in which the COM
munity once owned the majority OF
stock. Htzt a.f -.f -..
The discovery of natural gas was
quickly utilized by the Economists,
and upon the streets the lights flash in
such close succession as to furnish
fine similitude of torchlight process
sion. The purchase of coal was aban-
doned and the new fuel was welcomed
by thirty trustees as another element
Of economy. Narrow its brick pave
ment and dusty fat its roadYays, yet
such cleanliness is rarely seen. The
old frame story and half residences
are flush with the streets, with small
windows and old-fashioned panes. The
doors. are all at the side and obscured
by the grape vines which appear in all
the yards. The dairy pursuits of the
women are evidenced by the VOWS OF
pottery; devoid of the slightest spot of
dirt or stain. which are seen outside
the windows. In one corner of the
village stand immense frame structures
which are the warehouses wherein are
stored the products of the farms and
whence are extracted the supplies Tor
the commercial inhabitants and he
i'm mense residues for sale.
DuIn- another edge of the village are
immense WOODEN mills and silk factory
but they were abandoned as the colony
began It's decadence. Once the manu-
facture of silk was profitable enter
prise. But the cultivation of the 5000
acres of land is now the chief labor.
The trustees are Jacob Henricii and
Henry Sentz. They are the autecrats. of
the Village-its law makers, business
managers and religious instructors.
Heinrich is now,S4, but his vigor seems
not to abate with the flight of years.
His long blue coat and baggy panta-
looms which stop abruptly at the
ankles make him a conspicuous figure
when be appears upon the Pittsburg
streets. His Ratchet face and gray
goatee complete resemblance to the
accepted portraitures of Uncle Sam.
He manages vast resources for the
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